Another Yellow Jacket Story

ksmmoto · Sep 19, 2006

The yellow jackets have really been thick in Michigan in August and September. I have been spraying nests every day in my equipment.

I got stung last week once right by my right knee. Really hurt! After a day or so it itched a lot. Today I got stung by a hornet on my finger, that didn't hurt near as bad.

Way back in 1988 I was riding my Husqvarna 430 XC dirt bike on the 10 acres I owned then. I did a u-turn on the steep hill out back in the woods and stalled the bike.

Instantly I felt great pain. Looking down I seen that I was covered with very angry yellow jackets. Apparently I had been using their nest for traction. I dropped my bike and ran off about 100 yards.

I tried to brush all the yellow jackets off. I could feel the venom surging through my whole upper body. Thinking that the best plan would be to ride the bike back to the house as it was a quarter mile. I tried to get near the bike, but I was attacked again. I then decided to walk up.

I keep moving quickly and got back ok. I went in the house and hollered at my wife that I was stung. Took off my shirt and about 6 or 7 yellow jackets were inside and had been stinging me, I didn't notice anymore.

Ended up with about 40 or 50 stings. Put baking soda on them and I was fine, no reaction or swelling. This may be why yellow jackets stings hurt me so much, I may be sensitive.

I keep thinking about my bike, but decided to wait. The next day I went back with a can of spray and snuck up on the bike. Really seemed still and I didn't see any yellow jackets. I picked the bike up quick and rolled it away.

NO yellow jackets? I checked the gas tank that was full when I started and now it was empty. Seems it leaked out the gas cap vent right into the nest and wiped out the yellow jackets!

ksmmoto

bjmad · Sep 19, 2006

The other day I was putting siding on my garage. I got stung on the back of my leg. If anyone saw me they would have thought I was nuts. I was jumping around, took my pants off and cussing. It hurt. I thought the wasp was in my pants because it sure felt like it. I wanted to protect my jewels so I had to remove them. It burned really bad. I ended up getting stung several times. You are right. They are very bad here in Michigan. I didn't get as many stings as you did but they hurt for quite a while.

HEC · Sep 19, 2006

Ksmmoto ,you are very lucky to be alive after that many stings

silverdollar6 · Sep 19, 2006

bjmad said:
The other day I was putting siding on my garage. I got stung on the back of my leg. If anyone saw me they would have thought I was nuts. I was jumping around, took my pants off and cussing. It hurt. I thought the wasp was in my pants because it sure felt like it. I wanted to protect my jewels so I had to remove them. It burned really bad. I ended up getting stung several times. You are right. They are very bad here in Michigan. I didn't get as many stings as you did but they hurt for quite a while.

How did you remove your jewels?

frank_f15 · Sep 19, 2006

HEC said:
Ksmmoto ,you are very lucky to be alive after that many stings

Yep you are right , if that was me the old girl would be making funeral arrangments . i am very allergic

Trahere · Sep 19, 2006

My wife would like to make funeral arrangements most of the time!

Fourth post but who's counting?

AchingBack · Sep 19, 2006

HEC said:
Ksmmoto ,you are very lucky to be alive after that many stings

Years ago I was barely saved from certain death and destruction when late one afternoon I was brush hogging with a JDshift transmission tractor with no ROPS; I had been storing for a friend. It was late in the day, near dusk, and I happened to mow over a ground nest of yellow jackets. At first I thought there was some weird electrical problem, and I was being shocked. When I realized what I had done, and that I was being stung like crazy; I immediately shifted into what I thought was first gear, but I had put the tractor in reverse gear, and almost backed down over a twenty foot imbankment into a creek.

To me, this is one of the best arguments for a hydrostatic transmission. After less than ten seconds on a HST, I knew reverse was right under my heel, and I didn't need to take time to shift. I think HST is a real big safety issue in addition to being so very convenient, and easy to use. I believe if the tractor I was on that day had an HST I would have missed out on one of the biggest adrenaline rushes in fifty years.

Trahere · Sep 20, 2006

Thank goodness for HST!

ccsial · Sep 20, 2006

AchingBack said:
To me, this is one of the best arguments for a hydrostatic transmission. After less than ten seconds on a HST, I knew reverse was right under my heel, and I didn't need to take time to shift. I think HST is a real big safety issue in addition to being so very convenient, and easy to use. I believe if the tractor I was on that day had an HST I would have missed out on one of the biggest adrenaline rushes in fifty years.

Makes one hellavu case for a cab.

ksmmoto · Sep 20, 2006

I have dug into several yellow jacket nests last summer with my loader. I was building a woods driveway for a customer.

When I seen the cloud of yellows I was understandably nervous because of all the stings I had back in 1988. I am sure that made me more sensitive.

But it turns out that when I dug into the nest, the dirt collapsed around the yellow jackets killing most of them. It happened on both nest I hit, so I haven't been as worried. I also keep a can of bug killer on the tractor.

Now hitting a nest with a brush hog could be totally different, hasn't happened to me yet. But I have 28 acres to brush hog in the next several days, so I will be on the lookout.

ksmmoto